Judges gave Chuy's top honors in three of the four categories: best salsa, best queso and best guacamole.

In the fourth category, best specialty dip, the judges chose two winners: Rojo, a Latin and American eatery on Highland Avenue, and the private-label Barron's Original Salsa.

Ten Birmingham-area restaurants had been scheduled to compete in the Salsa Showdown, but La Brisa, La Cocina and Sabor Latino did not show up, and Salsarita's dropped out of the competition, according to Rebecca Pugh, communication manager for the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, which put on the event.

Others in the showdown were the Cantina, La Paz, Sol y Luna and Little Donkey, a new taqueria being developed by the folks from Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q.